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Elisabeth of Parma

Elisabeth Farnese
Isabel de Farnesio.jpg
Queen consort of Spain
Tenure 24 December 1714 – 14 January 1724
Tenure 6 September 1724 – 9 July 1746
Born (1692-10-25)25 October 1692
Palazzo della Pilotta, Parma
Died 11 July 1766(1766-07-11) (aged 73)
Royal Palace of Aranjuez, Aranjuez, Spain
Burial 17 July 1766
Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso
Spouse Philip V of Spain
Issue
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House Farnese
Father Odoardo Farnese, Hereditary Prince of Parma
Mother Dorothea Sophie of Neuburg
Religion Roman Catholicism
Styles of
Elisabeth, Queen of Spain as consort
Coat of Arms of Elisabeth Farnese, Queen Consort of Spain.svg
Reference style Her Catholic Majesty
Spoken style Your Catholic Majesty
Alternative style Sire

Elisabeth Farnese (Italian: Elisabetta Farnese, Spanish: Isabel de Farnesio; 25 October 1692 – 11 July 1766) was Queen of Spain by marriage to King Philip V. She exerted great influence over Spain's foreign policy and was the de facto ruler of Spain from 1714 until 1746. From 1759 until 1760, she governed as regent.

Elisabeth was born at the Palazzo della Pilotta in Parma, daughter of Odoardo Farnese and Dorothea Sophie of Neuburg. Elisabeth would later become the heiress of her father's dominions after her uncle Francesco Farnese, Duke of Parma and his younger brother both remained childless.

Elisabeth was raised in seclusion in an apartment in the Palace in Parma. She had a difficult relationship with her mother, but was reportedly deeply devoted to her uncle-stepfather. She could speak and write Latin, French, and German and was schooled in rhetoric, philosophy, geography and history, but, reportedly, she found no interest in her studies and lacked intellectual interests. She was a better student within dance, studied painting under Pierantonio Avanzini and enjoyed music and embroidery. She survived a virulent attack of smallpox shortly after the War of the Spanish Succession.

Because of the lack of male heirs of her father, her uncle-stepfather and her youngest uncle, who all succeeded one another, preparations were done for succession of the Duchy of Parma in the female line through her. She was therefore made many marriage proposals. Victor Amadeus, Prince of Piedmont and Francesco d'Este, Hereditary Prince of Modena both asked for her hand but negotiations eventually failed, as well as Prince Pio della Mirandola. The Duchy of Parma would later be inherited by her first son, Infante Carlos. After his accession to the Spanish throne, the title passed on to her third son, Infante Felipe. It was he who founded the modern day House of Bourbon-Parma.


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